Carrie Underwood: The Timeline of an American Idol
1983: The youngest daughter of three grew up in the small farming town of Checotah, Okla. 1996: Underwood developed a love for music, particularly the country genre, watching artists like Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Shania Twain, and Dolly Parton. 2004: A senior in college, Underwood decides to try out for season 4 of "American Idol", in St. Louis, Missouri. 2005: Having battled her way for months through the show's fourth season, Underwood is crowned the winner on May 25, 2005. November 2005: Some Hearts, the debut album from Underwood, as well as her first single "Jesus, Take the Wheel" are released to the public, with both quickly reaching the top of the country charts. May 2006: Underwood wins her very first major awards from the Academy of Country Music July 2006: Performing in various cities across the U.S., Underwood treks on her very first tour. September 2006: Underwood's third single to country radio, "Before He Cheats", proves to be a massive hit, crossing over to pop radio as well and growing in popularity thanks to its music video. November 2006: Underwood wins her first CMA awards March 2007: By this point, Underwood has won her first Grammy awards and finished off her Some Hearts ''album with the final single, "Wasted", which also went to number one. July 2007: Having worked on her second album, ''Carnival Ride, Underwood films the music video for her first single from the album, "So Small", which she co-wrote. It eventually goes to #1. October 2007: Her second studio album, Carnival Ride, is released and debuts at #1 on Billboard's Top Albums chart, selling over 500,000 copies in its first week. March 2008: Underwood embarks on her headlining Carnival Ride Tour and releases the second single from the album, "All-American Girl", which adds to her list of number one country singles. July 2008: Two more singles, "Last Name" and "Just A Dream" are released, and by the end of 2008, both have reached the top of the country charts. By now, Underwood has become a female force at country radio. November 2008: Underwood joins Brad Paisley as co-host of the annual CMA Awards, beginning a partnership that would take both of their careers to new heights. March 2009: A duet version of Underwood's final single, "I Told You So", is released with Randy Travis, proving very successful at radio. By now, Underwood has wrapped up the Carnival Ride Tour and has started seriously dating Mike Fisher. May 2009: She wins the ACM Award for Entertainer of the Year. August 2009: Underwood finishes up work on her third album, Play On. September 2009: "Cowboy Casanova", the first single from Play On, is released, along with a music video, and the single quickly goes to #1 on the country charts. December 2009: Fresh from hosting her second year of the CMA Awards, Underwood releases the second single from the album, another co-write named "Temporary Home", which will also go #1 in a few months. March 2010: Underwood begins headlining the Play On Tour, now a true country superstar. May 2010: The third single, "Undo It" is released, also going to #1 on the Hot Country Songs. July 2010: Underwood marries Mike Fisher, who she has been seriously dating for two years. September 2010: Celebrating their marriage, she releases the final single from the album, "Mama's Song". December 2010: Underwood wraps up the successful Play On Tour and has now hosted the CMAs for three years in a row with Brad Paisley. March 2011: Having taken a few months off to focus on time with her new husband, Underwood films a few scenes for her small role in the movie Soul Surfer. ''She also receives a Golden Globe nomination for a song she wrote for ''The Chronicles of Narnia. April 2011: Underwood delivers the now-infamous performance of "How Great Thou Art" with Vince Gill. July 2011: Underwod has had a busy summer, releasing a duet single with Brad Paisley, "Remind Me", as well as a music video, both of which go to the top of the country charts. September 2011: Underwood performs at the iHeart Radio Music Festival, but reveals that she is currently working on new music for her fourth album. February 2012: Releasing the first single from the fourth album, "Good Girl", Underwood also joins social media site Twitter to update her fans on her upcoming album, Blown Away. May 2012: With "Good Girl" going to #1, Underwood releases Blown Away ''to near-instant positive reviews. July 2012: Underwood releases the title track from the album as the second single, also filming the first of her cinematic music videos for the record. August 2012: Underwood embarks on the international ''Blown Away Tour, which will eventually sell over 1 million tickets and go on to become her biggest tour to date. November 2012: Having already sent two singles to #1 on the country charts, Underwood follows up with the release of "Two Black Cadillacs" as the third single, also filming a dark music video for it. April 2013: Underwood releases the final single, "See You Again", from the Blown Away album. July 2013: Following a powerful performance of the song at the CMT Music Awards, "See You Again" peaks near the top of the charts and Underwood wraps up her majorly successful tour. August 2013: Underwood uses her time off to prepare for a new project - playing the starring role of Maria in NBC's adaptation of The Sound of Music Live. December 2013: After months of preparation, Underwood leads NBC's television special. Despite mixed reviews from critics, The Sound of Music Live garners huge ratings for the holiday season. February 2014: Underwood is selected as one of Time's annual 100 Most Influential People. May 2014: Miranda Lambert releases her duet single with Underwood, "Somethin' Bad." Following their performances together of the song, it goes to #1 on the Billboard country chart. September 2014: Having stepped away from the spotlight for a few months, Underwood reveals she is pregnant with her and Fisher's first child. December 2014: Following the success of her new single "Something in the Water", Underwood releases her compilation album, Greatest Hits: Decade #1, which tops the Country Albums chart. February 2015: Underwood gives birth to her first son, Isaiah Michael Fisher. April 2015: While she is away from the public eye, Underwood releases "Little Toy Guns" as the second single from her Greatest Hits album, also releasing a music video that was filmed several months in advance. June 2015: Underwood returns to the CMT Music Awards, performing "Little Toy Guns." August 2015: Having already filmed a music video for the song, Underwood releases "Smoke Break" as the lead single from her fifth studio album, Storyteller, which she has worked on for a year. October 2015: Underwood releases her fifth studio album, Storyteller, which receives immediate positive review ftom critics and debuts at #1 on the Country Albums chart. November 2015: "Heartbeat", the second single from the record, is released to radio and will eventually top the Country Airplay chart, adding to Underwood's numerous hits. January 2016: Underwood headlines the New Years Rockin' Eve concert in New York City, performing her new hits "Smoke Break" and "Heartbeat." March 2016: Underwood kicks off the international Storyteller Tour, which will go on to be one of the biggest tours of the year and earn her a CMA Award nomination for Entertainer of the Year. May 2016: The list of number one hits continues for Underwood as she releases "Church Bells" as the third single and films one of her concerts as the music video for the song. August 2016: Underwood follows up with the fourth and final single, "Dirty Laundry", also starting off the second leg of the Storyteller Tour, which continues through the rest of the year. November 2016: Underwood co-hosts the CMA Awards once again, nominated for Entertainer and Female Vocalist of the Year, winning the latter award. It is her fourth time to win Female Vocalist. January 2017: Keith Urban releases a duet single with Underwood, "The Fighter", from his album Ripcord. Underwood and Urban perform the hit together at the Grammy awards. August 2017: Underwood simultaneously works on new material for an upcoming album while filming a new intro and song for the NFL's Sunday Night Football program. November 2017: Underwood and Paisley return to host the CMA's for their tenth year together. She delivers a tearful performance of "Softly and Tenderly" as part of a tribute to those lost in October's Las Vegas shooting. January 2018: Underwood reveals in a post to her fan club that she has suffered a broken wrist and facial injuries in a fall at her home, but that she is still recording new music. April 2018: Underwood releases the lead single from her sixth studio album, "Cry Pretty", and makes her first live performance of the song at the ACM awards.